Intermittent catheter assemblies are a good option for many users who suffer from various abnormalities of the urinary system. A common situation is where single use packaged, sterile ready-to-use catheters are utilized. An important criterion for single use ready-to-use products is that they be entirely user-friendly under a wide variety of different conditions.
Among those requiring intermittent catheterization on a regular and recurring basis are users who suffer from reduced or limited hand dexterity. There has been a continuing need for an intermittent catheter assembly for users on the verge of self-intermittent catheterization, but who have been unable to avail themselves of this technique to enjoy the freedom it would provide due to the absence of suitable catheter products. In this connection, there is a significant and growing segment of catheter users who have reduced or limited gripping ability and limb functionality.
To consider the needs of such catheter users, it is useful to understand cervical vertebrae breaks and the affected nerves of spinal cord injuries. For those users having injuries ranging from the C6 to the C8 vertebrae, research has shown that such injuries may result in reduced or limited arm, hand, wrist and/or finger movements. However, there are also other catheter users who have a wide range of dexterity issues which have resulted from many different health issues.
Regardless of the reason, a person having reduced or limited arm, hand, wrist and/or finger dexterity who requires regular and recurring catheterization may not be able to perform self-intermittent catheterization but could potentially do so if there was available an intermittent catheter assembly that could be used without the need for significant manual dexterity.
To provide an intermittent catheter assembly suitable for users of limited manual dexterity, it is important to consider various aspects of self-catheterization. These include providing a discrete assembly that will facilitate ease of i) inserting the catheter without compromising sterility, ii) draining urine from the bladder, and iii) discarding the intermittent catheter assembly. If these aspects of self-catheterization could be addressed, a person having reduced or limited manual dexterity would be better able to perform this procedure.